The Taste of Rain
by hersummerdreams
Summary: in a world with neither light nor darkness, Leon and Cloud have to find something else to make them feel alive. leonxcloud, AU


The day was dark and overcast, the smell of rain pervading everything. Inside the office, the cruel fluorescent lighting threw everything into stark contrast- the papers on the desk before him, the illumination of his monitor screen and the gray walls of the cubicle around him; adorned with nothing but a calendar. As usual the day was dragging and his work was providing constant pressure, there was no way he'd finish this report by the end of the day.

Leon groaned and let his head lay in his hands, white shirt rolled to his sleeves so that his elbows felt the cool bite of his table. Today was not going to plan.

"Leonhart!" As though on cue, a harsh voice barked from behind him. Squall jumped and spun in his chair, turning to face the source of his chagrin.

Seifer Almsay was an imposing man, always in a suit no matter what the occasion. Even next to Leon's strong stature he still stood taller and wider than anything he'd met. It was his cruelty and malevolency that had allowed him to survive in this cutthroat world of business, but it was his demeanour and looks that had pushed him to the very top.

He leaned back, ignoring the squeak of the plastic backing, gun metal gray eyes coolly regarding his boss.

"Have you finished that report?" Seifer sneered as he glanced at the document on Leon's screen. Obviously he hadn't, but he wouldn't put it past his boss to give him more work anyway...

Sure enough he dumped an armful of paper onto the desk before him, giving Leon motivation to glare up at the stupid smirking face. His arms folded over his chest as he inwardly groaned at the amount of work he'd have to do... it frustrated him to be pushed around like this, worked into the ground and not even respected for his efforts. A lesser man wouldn't have gotten half as much done since he'd started working here- barely a year ago.

"I need you to piece together this documentation into spreadsheets, statistics and possibility for my conference in the morning," His lips twisted into a wry smile, "Or you're fired."

Leon barely restrained a roll of his eyes, and spoke for the first time since that morning.

"Alright." He said evenly, with a short nod, taking the work into his stride. He'd crossed Seifer before and been demoted as a consequence- he needed this job to support himself alone, he wouldn't make the same mistake again...

Seifer left and with a sigh he turned back to his computer. Frustrated and angry at his boss and unable to concentrate, he abruptly stood and pushed back his chair. This was the only job that paid enough to allow him to live alone; he needed this, he had nowhere else to go. The pressure of this was heavy on him, enough that Leon decided to take his lunchbreak early. He'd show Seifer exactly what he was made of- but first he just needed space to breathe.

Grabbing his jacket and slipping it on over his shirt, Leon headed for the elevator. As was customary, he avoided the lunchroom altogether. He was a solitary person by nature and although he'd made friends with Aerith and Zack, he didn't really feel like being around the happy couple. Not right now...

Once there he pushed the button for the roof and waited for it to take him to the top- but once there he found he was not alone.

As the elevator doors opened and he stepped through to open the heavy door to the roof, he sucked in a quick breath. Through the fog the light rain had brought was a man, sitting on the edge of the building; precariously watching the street below. Leon blinked and started forward through the rain; careful not to startle him... as he got closer he saw the spiky blonde hair and suit and recognised him as a manager from the eighteenth floor. The few times they'd had contact, the man had struck him as familiar- but of course, the quiet seriousness was merely a reflection of his own.

Strife. That was his name. Cloud Strife.

"Strife." He said warily, approaching the edge of the building, careful not to slip in the puddles of rain. "Whatever you're thinking- stop."

Cloud didn't even turn around.

"I'm not suicidal." He said shortly, letting the end of his conversation drift into the mist.

Leon stopped, barely restraining an incredulous look. Was this man crazy? What was he doing sitting on the edge of a twenty something storey building if he wasn't suicidal?

"...I find that hard to believe." He continued in a short mutter. Whatever the case, he wasn't going to disturb upper management by dragging him inside- turning around and starting to head back to the stairs. So much for a quiet place to think.

"...wait."

Leon barely heard the low voice from the ledge, but when he turned around again he felt bright blue eyes piercing into him. Cloud was watching him carefully, probably trying to decipher who he was. He felt rather than saw, the other's gaze become minutely softer as recognition came into his eyes.

"Leonhart- right?"

Nod.

The blonde breathed out slowly and looked back out into the mist. From the top of the building, all that could be seen was other, higher skyscrapers sticking out through the clouds. Below them was nothing but a milky white fog, hiding cars and the busy roads from view. It was like they were alone in the universe- and if Leon had been more open, he would have described it was breathtaking.

But he wasn't and he didn't. Today was dark and overcast, that was all.

Without a word, Leon walked forward to the edge of the building, leaning on the stone edge that Cloud sat so casually on. It almost gave an impression that if he fell, he'd fall forever... he wondered if that was why the other man tempted death so casually.

Cloud seemed to notice his look.

"I'm not suicidal," he repeated with the shadow of a frown, the first emotion that Leon had seen on his face. His piercing eyes again held Leon captive as he continued, "the adrenalin clears my head. I can think clearly here..."

He shook his blonde spikes, as though he'd said too much.

"I know the feeling," Leon muttered under his breath, hoping Cloud's sharp ears didn't catch what he said.

Considering, he glanced down at the thick fog beneath them then swung his leg over the edge. Within scant moments he was next to Cloud, the dizzying heights making his breathing come more rapidly as his white knuckles held tightly to the ledge beneath him. The adrenalin did clear his head- of everything but this moment. He thought, momentarily, of Cloud's casual pose beside him- jacket discarded behind them both, with only a vest on over his shirt; and wondered how he'd figured this out.

"Terrifying, isn't it?" Cloud intoned casually, "You don't know whether you will live, or whether one final slip will cause your death. Whether everything you've worked for has been worth it..."

In that moment, Leon knew he was right.

For a few more minutes they sat there, contemplating their past, present and future. It was humbling, for Leon, how everything he'd done would mean nothing if he fell. How, even though he'd worked so hard to advance in his company, all of it would be for naught. How his love life was in shambles and he'd lost contact with the only person he cared about in his life- his father. How he needed to fix what he'd broken and find what he lost before he really did die; and he lost the chance forever.

"Thank you." He said, quietly.

Cloud turned his head, his lips quirking into the semblance of a smile.

"I should get back now," He said evenly, in a fluid movement swinging his leg back and sliding from the wall. Leon took a deep breath and attempted to perform the same movement himself, landing shakily back on solid ground.

Cloud was slow in picking up his jacket, making Leon pause as he watched the man start towards the stairs. Thinking fast about everything he'd just experienced, he involuntarily stepped forward; in the direction that the blonde was rapidly disappearing.

"Wait." He said, with difficulty, searching for the right words. Cloud turned, his own eyes enquiring.

He wet his lips. It had been a long time since he'd taken this step, and the memory of confidence returned slowly to him. His words were stilted as he spoke, but grew stronger as he continued.

"Did you- want to go out to dinner after work?"

The silence was long and heavy between them as Leon waited impatiently for an answer.

"Alright," Cloud said eventually, slipping on his jacket, with that same half smile lingering on his face. He held out his hand and Leon clasped it for a mere moment, each man finding... something in the other's eyes. Meaning.

"I'll see you then," Cloud said shortly, letting go of Leon's hand. In the next few seconds he'd disappeared, Leon staying to avoid a quiet, awkward elevator ride that he knew would be just around the corner. Instead he turned and walked back to the ledge, leaning on it again as he stared down at the mist. He could feel something innate within him change, some belief he'd had that he'd long since abandoned, dwindle at the thought of the coming night.

When his break had passed and he drew himself from the roof, Leon recognised the feeling; letting him return to work with a smile on his face.

It was hope.


End file.
